Anthony Bourdain hails lechon as the BEST PIG EVER!

Food blogs and Pinoy blogs are going Tony Bourdain crazy after his popular show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations went to the Philippines. The show finally aired and I have to say that as a Filipino American, I felt it was superbly done.

The Really Good

Every local guide that Anthony Bourdain and his staff found in the Philippines was intelligent, well spoken, and provided an accurate perspective of the Philippines that was familiar and true to what Filipinos all over the world have come to love about our culinary heritage. From the open markets in Manila to the kambing and sisig in Pampanga, Bourdain did our homeland justice by showing viewers the jewels of our comfort food in the commoner’s environment.

Anthony Bourdain could have easily just gone to Manila and done a 20 minute segment dedicated to Philippine nightlife but, as all of us that have been to the Philippines can attest, the real beauty of the motherland isn’t found in a congested, shopping mall saturated area. The television crew brilliantly captured the heart of a people by showing how Filipinos come together as family and friends to enjoy life over local delicacies made with fresh ingredients from an open food market, drizzled with kalamansi, and chased down with a San Miguel.

When the locals talked about the food Filipinos enjoyed, not only did you feel the sense of pride they had in our dishes but somewhere in their spoken words was the story of the Philippines. The mesh of various cultures put together in a big cauldron of stew with a side of mixed vegetables that were savory and bitter is simply symbolic of a people and culture that has endured so much.

The best surprise of the show was the recurring question that Bourdain posed to every person he encountered… “Who are the Filipinos?” As much as that question has spawned countless discussions on Pinoylife and Filipino American Experience classes in universities all over the United States, I wasn’t expecting this to be a topic of conversation on an American produced Food/Travel show. The fact that Bourdain even brought up that question is what made this episode more historic in the realm of Filipino identity in America.

Augusto, the Filipino American whose video letter to Bourdain was the impetus for the show going to the Philippines, provided the perspective that the majority of us Pinoy statesiders have felt for our entire lives. We are not completely one or the other. We love our Filipino heritage but when we go back to the Philippines, some of us aren’t completely accepted as Filipinos because we either don’t speak Tagalog or we didn’t grow up in the Philippines. And even though we live in America and grew up in American society, sometimes America overlooks us and doesn’t completely embrace us either. Pinoys can go on and on about this topic but it was great that the producers of the show felt that the discussion about this dual identity was worthy of being included in the final cut of the episode.

The Not So Good

When Tony Bourdian arrived in Cebu, he was greeted by people giving him a wooden necklace that said Cebu. When did people start giving out wooden necklaces as a greeting in the Philippines? How come when I arrived in Boracay last March, all I was greeted with was some dude with a dry erase board that had my name spelled wrong? I swear, the day I go to Cebu I better get a fricken wooden necklace or there will be hell to pay.

As for Augusto, I wanted to take a fricken razor and some electric clippers and shave his head and facial hair. Good God man, what the hell! Augusto, you live in New York. A place filled with style salons and very qualified barbershops and that’s the look you go with? I mean, I know you want to get back in touch with your Filipino roots but dude, did you need to look to pictures of the Dogtown Igorots from the St. Louis world’s fair in 1904 for hairstyle suggestions? And what the hell is up with that 1970s Pinoy action star facial hair?!?!

If you don’t believe me, check this out:

Take the haircut of an igorot from the Igorot Village at the 1904 St. Louis world’s fair

Combine it with the ’stache of 70s Philippines action star Roland Dantes

And here’s what you get
AUGUSTO!

Ok, ok, I’m just messing around. You’re a great guy Augusto. If you ever come to L.A., the Pinoylifers and I would like to take you out for beers and various deep fried pork dishes. Thanks for making this one happen and thank you for not making Pinoys look like complete ‘tards on national television.

In all seriousness, the only real downer about the episode is that they only had one hour to work with and there’s so much more that could have been shown. Desserts and pastries, fine dining in the major cities, breakfasts, cock fights, nightlife, beautiful beaches and resorts, and the list goes on. But what they did end up showing made for a great hour of t.v. viewing.

The Ultimate

The last segment of the show had Anthony Bourdain going to Cebu for some good ‘ol Filipino pig done lechon style. We’re talking manual rotisserie baboy with the crispy skin and the whole nine. His verdict will go down in infamy…

[...] Fil-Am experience is essentially the same as thousands of American-born Filipinos, and as Moonie at PinoyLife noted, that the fact Bourdain even brought up this topic “made this episode more historic in [...]

Hilarious photos of Roland Dantes + Igorot = Augusto. It’s all about the ’stache! Props to Augusto for taking one for the team. It ain’t easy being in the spotlight, especially when the editors are in control.

mun on
February 18th, 2009 1:48 pm

Dude, I had the same exact hairstyle when I was in 4th grade, and I’m 32 now!!

[...] some reviews on the Philippines episode. Filipino American Pinoy Life loved it and provided several links to other bloggers’ [...]

mhvmhv on
February 19th, 2009 3:11 pm

the bit about the hair was hilarious…… the way you got those photos and presented them was pure genious….i’m stifling my laughter here in the library…. anyway… we owe it Augusto for making the final push for Tony Bourdain to go to the Philippines…

DoeBoi on
February 20th, 2009 12:37 am

This episode made me really miss the lechon in Cebu !! I have to admit, of all the lechons I’ve tasted in other parts/provinces of the Philippines, the lechon cebuano-style is the Best !!

Philippine Lechon is number one. I am really happy that Tony Bourdain loved the Philippine Lechon. Its deadly but you only get to live once. He should have also tried the roasted calf. Maybe next time?

elizp on
April 8th, 2009 9:00 pm

Bourdain’s take on RP culture exceeded my expectations — he even addressed directly and repeatedly our “special (colonial) relationship” with the U.S. y. Bowl-cut boy’s ethnic identity crisis was handled with a respectful & delicate touch; still, I kept waiting for the PCN moment, then for Kaba Modern to break some moves while he & Bourdain sucked out bone marrow.

T@raki on
May 25th, 2009 1:01 am

Nice one editor! you got me laughing all the way to the toilet wiping my tears!hahaha! But I know there’s something missing here.. Hey! where’s the apple inside the mouth of the pig?

The idea of training for all tends to make us all much more equal – let it happen and many thanks Daphne
for sharing your vision, heart? and soul. Now ‘we’ need to have to produce certain the infrastructures
are in spot for those who’re most disadvantaged…

Now, why would we want to show a COCK FIGHT as something to be proud of? This gaming “sport” is no different from DOG FIGHTING which is abhorred in many countries and even illegal in some. Cock fighting is a form of animal cruelty and thus, should be outlawed everywhere. And why do Filipinos(American or otherwise) always have to make fun of others and say ,I’m just messing with you. That is a sick Filipino sense of humor!……degrading and downright insulting…….Peace to all!

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